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depend

[ dih-pend ]
/ dɪˈpɛnd /
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See synonyms for: depend / depended / depending on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)
to rely; place trust (usually followed by on or upon): You may depend on the accuracy of the report.
to rely for support, maintenance, help, etc. (usually followed by on or upon): Children depend on their parents.
to be conditioned or contingent (usually followed by on or upon): His success here depends upon effort and ability.
to be undetermined or pending: I may go to Europe or I may not, it all depends.
Grammar. (of a word or other linguistic form) to be subordinate to another linguistic form in the same construction; to form a part of a construction other than the head.
to hang down; be suspended (usually followed by from): The chandelier depends from the ceiling of the ballroom.
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Origin of depend

1375–1425; late Middle English dependen<Old French dependre<Latin dēpendere to hang down, equivalent to dē-de- + pendere to hang

OTHER WORDS FROM depend

in·ter·de·pend, verb (used without object)re·de·pend, verb (used without object)self-de·pend·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use depend in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for depend

depend
/ (dɪˈpɛnd) /

verb (intr)
(foll by on or upon) to put trust (in); rely (on); be sure (of)
(usually foll by on or upon; often with it as subject) to be influenced or determined (by); be resultant (from)whether you come or not depends on what father says; it all depends on you
(foll by on or upon) to rely (on) for income, support, etc
(foll by from) rare to hang down; be suspended
to be undecided or pending

Word Origin for depend

C15: from Old French dependre, from Latin dēpendēre to hang from, from de- + pendēre to hang
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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